AURORA, Colo. — The Community College of Aurora (CCA) and BuildStrong Academy of Colorado (BSA) are expanding their partnership to scale up hands-on, industry-aligned workforce training programs in construction, skilled trades and applied technologies. The extension builds on a successful collaboration that has already connected hundreds of students to life-changing career pathways and is set to create even more opportunities for learners across the metro area.
BSA will use space in CCA’s upcoming CAST building which is opening this fall. The new Center for Applied Science and Technology (CAST) will house twice the originally planned training space for BSA, accommodating growing demand.
“This is more than a partnership—this is a long-term investment in Colorado’s workforce and economic future,” said Dr. Mordecai Brownlee, President of CCA. “We’re building an ecosystem where students of all ages can access hands-on learning, earn in-demand credentials, and walk directly into careers that sustain families and communities.”
CCA and BSA will continue to develop more opportunities for bootcamp and pre-apprenticeship completers to earn college certificates and degrees. Additional dual-enrollment pathways through Aurora Public Schools will allow more high school students to graduate with college credits, OSHA certifications and industry-recognized credentials—at no cost.
Since 2017, CCA and BSA have worked closely to align curriculum, share facilities, leverage resources and co-develop programs that blend classroom instruction with hands-on construction bootcamps, career coaching and direct connections to employers. Their efforts have already yielded strong outcomes both for the participants and industry.
Alumni like Noel Beauchamp, a former student in the Construction Superintendent program, credits the partnership for rapid career advancement. “I went from knowing nothing about construction to running job sites and estimating six-figure projects—all within two years.”
To support learners like Noel at scale, BSA will increase its capacity by 50% over the next two years, hiring more instructors and offering evening and weekend cohorts to accommodate working adults.
Allison Stepnitz, Director of BSA of Colorado, added that, “BSA believes in growing local talent and connecting them with industry to fill jobs—and this partnership is how we do it. We’re thrilled to deepen our work with CCA to prepare students for success on day one of their careers.”
Dr. Bobby Pace, Provost and Vice President of Academic Success at CCA, believes this move deepens a collaboration that began in 2017, when CCA co-designed credentials in Construction Management and Estimation with BuildStrong Academy. “What’s exciting about this new phase is that we’re aligning even more closely with industry to create pathways that are both job-ready and academically rigorous.”
Jim DeLung, Dean of Academic Success in Career Technical Education at CCA, said BSA recruits individuals who want to learn skills quickly to be job ready for the construction industry – eligibility requirements are usually not a substantial issue and that is not part of this agreement. “This agreement is focused on topics like governance, data sharing, finances, personnel, space use, insurance – topics that help make it easier for a non-profit to simultaneously move into space at a community college campus and advance their partnership with that community college.”
Colorado’s construction companies are regularly hiring for positions related to construction management, such as estimators, project managers and superintendents, as well as for positions related to the construction trades, such as carpenters, electricians and general laborers. While hiring is constantly taking place for these positions, there is a substantial shortage of skilled workers. According to Pat Hamill, the founder of the BuildStrong Academy and chair of the BuildStrong Foundation, “The future for the BuildStrong Academy model is bright as we are getting better at both training the workforce and addressing the pipeline issues. It is doing what we hoped it would do when we created the flagship academy in 2017 at Oakwood Homes.”
This initiative is part of a national and statewide movement to reimagine post-secondary education, not just as degrees, but as career mobility engines. Short-term, stackable, workforce-aligned programs are the future and CCA is at the forefront. While there are now eight BuildStrong Academies around the country, BSA of Colorado is the flagship program, and the first to build a formidable partnership with higher education.
“Colorado’s construction industry is booming, but workforce shortages are holding it back,” added DeLung. “This partnership will help close those gaps by producing graduates with the skills, certifications, and experience employers are seeking.”
To learn more about CCA’s construction programs, please visit https://ccaurora.edu/programs/?view=skilled-trades-department, and enroll today!
About the Community College of Aurora:
The Community College of Aurora (CCA) provides high-quality instruction and student support services to Aurora, Centennial, and Denver, Colorado. With a vision to aspire to be a college where every student succeeds, CCA is the most diverse college in the State of Colorado. Focused on creating social and economic mobility for its students, the college offers courses on three (3) campuses, online, and through its high school concurrent-enrollment programs. For more information, visit www.ccaurora.edu.
About BuildStrong Academy (BSA):
Founded in Denver as the Colorado Homebuilding Academy by home builder Oakwood Homes in 2017, BuildStrong Academy was created by industry experts working in collaboration with builders, universities, trade associations, foundations and schools. Through a strategic partnership with HBI, they are transforming construction career education by putting hands-on learning, classroom teaching and real-life experience all under one roof with a focus on job placement, mentoring and ongoing support for students and partners. BuildStrong Academy of Colorado remains the flagship chapter of the national BuildStrong Academy network. For more information on BuildStrong Academy, visit bsacolorado.org
Contact:
Courtney Butler
Director of Strategic Communications and Special Initiatives
Strategic Communications and Alumni Engagement
P: 303-340-7201 | E: [email protected]